🕶 The Dark Trade: Illegal Organs
Did you know: 10,000 kidneys are traded on the black market worldwide annually! What gave birth to this illegal market? And how can we curb this? Read on.
‘Apollo Hospitals accused of illegal organ trade’.
‘Desperate young people from Myanmar selling their organs to rich patients of India's prestigious Apollo hospitals chain’.
Such were the spine-chilling headlines in the news recently.
While Apollo has denied all allegations and we are none to comment on whether this is true or not, this brings to spotlight the grim reality of the illegal organ trade market.
A market where desperation meets exploitation.
The Dark Reality: Illegal Organ Trade
Organ trading is a global violation of laws.
The Global Financial Integrity (GFI) estimates that 10% of all organ transplants (approximately 12,000) including lungs, heart and liver, are done via trafficked organs.
The most illegally traded organ?
You guessed it: Kidneys.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 10,000 kidneys are traded on the black market worldwide annually.
That's more than one every hour!
To curb this, India passed the Transplantation of Human Organs Act (THOA) in 1994.
This Act banned the commercial trade of organs, including promoting the donation of organs.
Now, like most acts, this Act had a loophole.
The Act defined who was allowed to donate to a patient in need.
Only close relatives like spouses, siblings, parents, and grandchildren were allowed to donate.
A stranger could donate their organ, but only on humanitarian grounds.
That, too, has to pass through multiple layers of approval.
Now, in every loophole, lies a hidden opportunity for corruption.
Drastic shortage of voluntary organ donors plus a growing demand for transplants has fueled the illegal organ market in India.
This business is indeed lucrative.
A kidney transplant in India usually ranges between Rs. 20 lakhs to Rs. 40 lakhs.
Naah, the donor does not get all this money.
The donor is often promised a large sum of money for their contribution.
Once the transplant is done, they are only paid a small percentage of the promised amount.
Back in May 2023, a man from Vizag approached the police after he was given only Rs. 2.5 lakhs for his kidney after being promised Rs. 8.5 lakhs.
Huh? Where does the money go then?
Enter: middlemen.
Yep, it's a well-knitted trap for the desperate donors.
These middlemen exploit the weaker segments of societies.
They woo them into selling their kidneys for hefty amounts.
Then comes the role of corrupt officials and doctors.
The officials, very convincingly, forge documents showing a close relationship between the kidney donor and the patient.
The doctor does what they normally do: perform the transplant, just illegally.
All for quick cash.
The innocent kidney donor is left disappointed, duped and devastated.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
This dark reality of illegal organ trade needs to be reduced, and it needs to be reduced fast.
Here are some key measures that can be taken:
Strict Enforcement of Laws
THOA needs rigorous enforcement to prevent exploitation of the desperate ones ready to sell their organs.
Monitoring and Regulation
State Medical Councils should scrutinise hospital records to identify any irregularities in organ transplant activities.
Promotion of Organic Donation Programs
Promoting donation of organs may increase the supply of organs during transplant surgeries.
This also includes pledging our healthy organs after death (deceased donation) to help bridge the gap.
Did you know: there were only 941 deceased donors in India in 2022, a small fraction of 16,041 transplants that happened during the year!
The number of people waiting in queue for transplants was even more.
The Indian government has also established the National Organ Transplant Programme (NOTP) to promote organ donation and transplantation nationwide.
Donor Awareness Programs
Donors should be made aware of the eligibility criteria at the time of donation, so they can make informed decisions.
This is not just about the illegal trade of organs.
It's a reflection of deeper societal problems such as poverty, lack of education, and systemic inequalities.
No matter how many laws are enacted and protocols are established, this dark reality will prevail.
So the question really is: how can we, as a society, work towards eradicating these problems?
Join us on WhatsApp to never miss an update 👇🏻